readytorunbook Chapter 265: The Curious Successor
Chapter 265: The Curious Successor
The Curious Successor
Steffan left, Elder Smith sighed inwardly.
The old man’s gaze lingered in the direction Steffan had disappeared for quite some time.
The afternoon sun hung high above, casting long shadows across the roadside.
A faint breeze drifted through the open fields, carrying the scent of grass and earth.
Yet Elder Smith’s mood remained complicated.
This was the last thing he wanted to see happen.
As one of the senior figures of Voidspring Mountain, he naturally hoped to secure a prosperous future for the sect.
Over the years, he had watched Cheery grow from a young disciple into the future successor of Voidspring Mountain.
Her talent was extraordinary.
Her temperament was outstanding.
Her future achievements would likely surpass many of her predecessors.
Because of this, he had often considered suitable partners for her.
Among the younger generation he knew, Steffan had always been near the top of that list.
After all, Steffan was the famous Martial Art King.
Young.
Powerful.
Backed by the mighty Obsidian Wing.
His cultivation talent was almost monstrous.
Even Elder Smith had to admit that finding a young man capable of matching Cheery’s status and talent was not easy.
He had been thinking about whether he could match Steffan and Cheery together.
Both of them were exceptionally talented, and Steffan’s strength was indeed a good match for Cheery.
Being able to bring a son-in-law with strength and background to Voidspring Mountain would naturally be a good thing.
Unfortunately...
Today’s events had shattered that possibility completely.
The image of Steffan that Elder Smith had carefully built in his mind collapsed like a house made of sand.
Martial talent could be impressive.
Background could be powerful.
But some impressions were impossible to erase.
Especially certain... unforgettable impressions.
But after this incident, he felt that there was no hope for the two of them.
What woman would fall in love with a man who wet his pants in front of her?
Elder Smith rubbed his forehead.
The more he thought about it, the more helpless he felt.
Even he didn’t know how to describe today’s events when he returned to Voidspring Mountain.
Fortunately, nobody else from the mountain had witnessed it.
Otherwise, rumors would spread throughout the entire sect before sunset.
He glanced toward Cheery.
The silver-pink-haired young woman stood quietly nearby.
Her beautiful face remained calm.
However, Elder Smith knew her well enough to notice the subtle difference.
There was no admiration in her eyes.
No interest.
Only faint disappointment.
Steffan had truly ruined his image today.
"Let’s go back. Let’s pretend we didn’t see anything today," Elder Smith instructed.
Yaman nodded vigorously.
The disciple’s head moved up and down like a chicken pecking rice.
"Master is right."
"Absolutely right."
"I didn’t see anything."
"I heard nothing."
"I know nothing."
Elder Smith glared at him.
Yaman immediately shut his mouth.
However, Cheery spoke up.
"Elder Smith, you go back. My master told me to travel around the modern world for a while longer. I’ll return later."
The moment those words left her lips, both Elder Smith and Yaman turned toward her.
"Travel alone?" Elder Smith asked with a worried expression.
The modern world was vastly different from life in the mountains.
Cheery had spent most of her life cultivating.
Although her martial strength was extraordinary, her understanding of modern society remained limited.
The outside world was filled with countless temptations and dangers.
Naturally, he couldn’t help worrying.
"You’ve hardly been down the mountain. What if you encounter trouble traveling alone? Why not let Steffan accompany you?"
The suggestion had barely left his mouth before he regretted it.
Cheery’s reaction was immediate.
"No."
Cheery shook her head vigorously, showing a look of disdain.
The expression appeared so quickly that even Elder Smith was surprised.
A trace of disgust flashed through her emerald eyes.
The image of Steffan’s dignified face...
Followed by everything that happened afterward...
Instantly resurfaced in her mind.
Her delicate brows furrowed.
"No."
She repeated firmly.
There wasn’t even room for discussion.
Yaman almost laughed.
Fortunately, he managed to hold it in.
Cheery waved her hand and said, "Don’t worry, Elder Smith. I know what I’m doing."
Her voice carried confidence.
As the future successor of Voidspring Mountain, she wasn’t some sheltered child.
She merely lacked experience.
Not intelligence.
After today’s journey, she already felt more comfortable interacting with the outside world.
Seeing her determination, Elder Smith could only sigh.
The successor chosen by the mountain master was stubborn when she made up her mind.
Trying to change it was nearly impossible.
"Alright then, I’ll inform Steffan. If you need anything, you can ask him for help."
Elder Smith felt a pang of regret but didn’t persuade her further. He just gave a nod and left with his disciple.
Soon, the car disappeared into the distance.
The roadside gradually became quiet.
Only Cheery remained standing there.
For a moment, she simply watched the traffic flowing along the highway.
Cars sped past.
People walked along the sidewalks.
The bustling modern world unfolded before her eyes.
Everything felt lively.
Everything felt unfamiliar.
After they left, Cheery walked alone on the street.
Her silver-pink hair danced gently in the wind.
Countless curious gazes fell upon her.
Some admired her beauty.
Others simply found her unique appearance eye-catching.
Cheery paid little attention to them.
Her thoughts were elsewhere.
She had originally planned to return.
That had been her intention from the beginning.
Complete the mission.
Observe Steffan.
Then return to Voidspring Mountain.
Simple.
Yet things rarely went according to plan.
A certain black-haired young man had completely disrupted those plans.
But the guy named Julian D’Aurelius today piqued her interest.
As she walked through the city streets, scenes from the battle replayed repeatedly inside her mind.
The clash.
The techniques.
The speed.
The confidence.
Most importantly...
The Dragon’s Tempest Step.
Her master had personally taught her that ancient martial art.
Therefore, she understood better than anyone how difficult it was.
Countless disciples spent years practicing it.
Many never reached true mastery.
Yet Julian had achieved something impossible.
This person had mastered the ancient martial art "Dragon’s Tempest Step" to perfection in just one day.
How did he do it?
The question refused to leave her mind.
No matter how she analyzed it, no explanation made sense.
One day.
Not one year.
Not several years.
One day.
That level of comprehension was beyond reason.
Even Cheery, who possessed extraordinary talent herself, couldn’t understand it.
She stopped beside a pedestrian bridge.
Looking at the city below, her eyes narrowed slightly.
Was he hiding some secret?
Some special inheritance?
Some ancient technique?
Or was he simply a monster among monsters?
Moreover, she could hear his inner thoughts.
The moment she remembered that strange ability, her expression became even more complicated.
She had never encountered anything like it before.
She couldn’t hear anyone else’s thoughts.
Only Julian’s.
And those thoughts...
They were completely different from the image he presented outwardly.
The Julian seen by others was calm.
Confident.
Powerful.
Mysterious.
The Julian she heard inside his head was...
Strange.
Ridiculous.
Lazy.
Sometimes shameless.
Sometimes surprisingly honest.
At times his thoughts were so absurd that she almost laughed despite herself.
At other times, they revealed insights he would never say aloud.
The contrast fascinated her.
This made her extremely curious about this enigmatic guy.
A faint smile unknowingly appeared on her lips.
Even she didn’t realize it.
For the first time in many years, someone had successfully disrupted her peaceful cultivation heart.
Not through romance.
Not through admiration.
But through pure curiosity.
An overwhelming desire to understand.
Who exactly was Julian D’Aurelius?
Why could he master techniques so quickly?
Why could she hear his thoughts?
And why did his thoughts sound nothing like the person everyone else saw?
Question after question surfaced endlessly.
Without finding out more, she wouldn’t be able to focus on her cultivation back on the mountain